First novel footnotes the future of fiction

Attention connoisseurs of contemporary fiction: In John Osander '57's new novel, "Country Matters," something very exciting has developed — what I would term a new sub-genre, in fact. That's right, Ladies and Gentlemen, we have entered the age of The Novel With Footnotes.

Perhaps there are some people in the world who enjoy reading footnotes, but for me, turning to the first page of a book — one I thought would be pleasurable and an escape from my post-adolescent reality — only to encounter more than half a page of footnotes was more than slightly daunting.

However, I persevered — I had no choice, I had to write the review — eventually learned to tolerate the running bottom-of-the-page commentary of "Kathy" and "Mickey" and found the story of their youth and that of Joe, Amy and the other characters entertaining.

The book's full — and by full, I mean full — title is "Country Matters: Narrative and Commentary on Joseph Taylor, Jr.'s Early 1950s Journal As Reconstructed by Close Friends Kathryn Nolan and Michael Nolan (Mickey N.)" (Beaver's Pond Press, $22.95). It follows Joe Taylor and friends from their sophomore year of high school in suburban Minneapolis in the early 1950s through college — Joe heads to Princeton for college, in part to pursue his musical theater interests (references to the Princeton Triangle Club are abundant) — and beyond.

There's a healthy dose of sex in this novel with notes — the title actually comes from a particularly bawdy sequence in "Hamlet" — and enough profanity, thanks to Mickey, to keep the modern prime-time viewer turning pages. The themes, however, are actually quite pithy.

Through this gang of middle-class friends and their sagas, Osander discusses the reality of first love, whether it is or can be genuine, whether it endures, whether we should have more faith in it than we do. The author also explores the social landscape of the era, touching on teenage pregnancy, the opportunities available to women and marriage. Race relations and Northeast university elitism are touched on as well.

The descriptions throughout the novel are well executed and original, infused with simple but charged details that won me over even amid my footnote annoyance.

Bottom line: The format is a pain, but going along for the ride is worth the trouble.